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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27980295">Christmas On The Farm</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/VampireVengence/pseuds/VampireVengence'>VampireVengence</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>12 Days Of Jalex 2020 [12]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>All Time Low (Band), Bandom</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>12 Days of Christmas, 12 Days of Jalex, Boys Kissing, Christmas, Christmas Boppers, Christmas Decorations, Christmas Eve, Christmas Lights, Christmas Morning, Christmas Music, Christmas Tree, Christmas drinks, Christmas market, Christmas village, Dancing and Singing, Drunken Kissing, Drunken Shenanigans, Drunkenness, Gay, Gay Character, Gay Male Character, Gingerbread Coffee, Gingerbread Syrup, Goat Christmas Jumpers, Goats, I Won't Be Home For Christmas, Jalex - Freeform, Kissing, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Mistletoe, Morning Cuddles, Reingoats, Santa Hat, Singing, Singing Fish, The Rockwell, Tinsel, cheek kissing, farm life</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 16:49:20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,918</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27980295</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/VampireVengence/pseuds/VampireVengence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>After years of terrible Christmases, Alex is kind of over the holiday but his boyfriend is a Christmas fanatic and determined to change his mind. It's a good thing he loves him.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Jack Barakat/Alex Gaskarth</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>12 Days Of Jalex 2020 [12]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2042662</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Christmas On The Farm</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>Alex walked through the front door of the house and stopped dead in his tracks. Every inch of the entryway had been decorated. Foil garlands hung from the ceiling, tinsel had been stuck around the mirror and photo frames and there was even mistletoe in the doorway leading to the living room. "What the fuck?"</p><p> </p><p>He shook his head as he picked up the groceries and headed into the kitchen which was, thankfully, just as he'd left it. He could hear Christmas music playing in the living room and sighed heavily, smiling softly. He put everything away before heading through.</p><p> </p><p>He paused in the doorway, leaning against the frame with amusement as he watched his boyfriend. He had a strip of tinsel tied around his head and was humming along to Jimmy Eat World's cover of Last Christmas as he stood precariously on one of the dining table chairs pinning a large foil star to the ceiling in one of the quarters created by the garland intersection.</p><p> </p><p>The chair wobbled violently and Alex immediately darted forward, predicting the accident before Jack had even registered the chair slipping from beneath him. He released a surprised yelp as he fell backwards, straight into Alex who caught him easily. He released a second gasp at the sudden intervention, glancing up at the older male with wide eyes.</p><p> </p><p>Alex sent him a fond but exasperated look as he righted himself. "Hey, Lex!" He leant in and pecked his cheek like he hadn't just stopped him breaking his neck. "You know we have a ladder for that right?" He said, indicating towards the chair. Jack just shrugged.<br/>
"I could only find the really big one and that wasn't gonna fit in here." Alex shook his head as he glanced around.</p><p> </p><p>A large bushy tree had been set up in the corner though was still awaiting decorations, there was more tinsel around the photo frames as well as around the window frames and a small animatronic Santa was sitting on the coffee table next to a can of fake snow.</p><p> </p><p>"What are you doing to my poor house?" He asked in disbelief as Jack climbed back up onto the chair to finish with the ceiling.<br/>
"<em>Our</em> house." Jack corrected making Alex roll his eyes. "And I'm decorating it." </p><p> </p><p>"It's only been December for like fourteen hours." Jack looked at him with an almost pitiful smile.<br/>
"That is a whole fourteen hours of the festive season. Don't be a Grinch." Alex huffed at the insult, shaking his head.<br/>
"Next time I'll let you fall." He said flatly, making Jack snort. <br/>
"Sure you will." It was an empty threat and they both knew it.</p><p> </p><p>The song switched and Alex grinned brightly as Blink-182 I Won't Be Home For Christmas began to play. Jack turned to face him with a smirk, knowing full well that this one was one of Alex's favourites and was impossible for him to resist.</p><p> </p><p>Right on cue, they both began to sing along. Jack jumped down off the chair as he began to dance around and headbang making Alex laugh. He felt like a fifteen-year-old dancing around in his bedroom all over again. Part of him was waiting to hear his Dad's voice telling them to turn it down as he danced with his boyfriend.</p><p> </p><p>As the song came to an end he tackled the taller male onto the couch, both of them laughing hard with giddy glee. He leaned in and pressed a firm kiss to Jack's lips making him sigh with content.</p><p> </p><p>Alex pulled back with a smirk, he was just about to suggest they take this upstairs but Jack spoke up before he could. "If you're not going to help then you can go and annoy the boys." Alex gave a heavy sigh but got to his feet.<br/>
"Fine. I know when I'm not wanted."</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Alex couldn't deny he was impressed with Jack's dedication. He'd gone through and decorated every room in the house leaving it feeling like they were living in Santa's grotto. It was sweet in its own childish way and whilst Alex would never admit it out loud it had definitely made him feel more festive.</p><p> </p><p>Well... with the exception of when he got up and nearly had a heart attack every morning due to the motion-detecting singing fish that had been mounted on the wall at the bottom of the stairs. Then he wasn't feeling festive. Murderous? Maybe. Festive? Not so much.</p><p> </p><p>"You do that every morning." Jack laughed as Alex approached the kitchen, hand over his chest as the fish wiggled and sang Rocking Around The Christmas Tree. "Well, why would you put it right at the bottom of the stairs?" He huffed, shaking his head as he accepted the mug of coffee from Jack's hand.</p><p> </p><p>He took a sip and froze, sending Jack a confused look. It tasted sweet, festive somehow. "It's gingerbread syrup," Jack explained with a cheery grin. "Of course it is." He muttered, shaking his head. It tasted good but it was about principle at this point.</p><p> </p><p>"Since when are you so against Christmas?" Jack asked with a pout. Leaning back against the counter with his arms crossed.<br/>
"Since I haven't had a fun one in years." Jack raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to elaborate. </p><p> </p><p>"Since Tom passed it's always been kinda bittersweet with my family and then Lisa was always obsessed with having the perfect Christmas but of course nothing was ever good enough. It was exhausting and it just sucked the fun out of it." He gave a shrug. "It's just another day." Jack gasped all fake shock and horror. "Blasphemy!" He cried, hands at the side of his face like Kevin McCallister. Alex smiled, shaking his head at the dork.</p><p> </p><p>"Well I hate to break it to you Gaskarth but I'm not your family or your ex-wife and I love Christmas. So we <em>are </em>going to celebrate and you <em>are</em> going to have fun." Alex sighed, sending Jack a dismayed look. <br/>
"Isn't this enough?" He asked, sweeping his arm vaguely to indicate all the decorating. Jack just shook his head.<br/>
"Nope."</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Alex sighed heavily as he checked the time on his phone. "Hurry up Jack! You're the one who wants to go to this stupid thing!"</p><p> </p><p>Alex had been quite content on the couch wrapped up in a blanket watching The Office but no, Jack wanted to go into the city to watch them turn the Christmas lights on. So Alex had grudgingly gotten up and dressed like a good boyfriend and was now waiting around for Jack to hurry up and get ready so they could leave. At the rate he was going the lights were already going to be on by the time they got there.</p><p> </p><p>Jack came rushing down the stairs taking two at a time. A grin plastered over his face as he hid his hands behind his back. "What are you doing?" Alex asked, instantly suspicious. Jack just continued to grin at him. "Close your eyes." <br/>
"No. What are you doing?" He didn't trust that grin. That grin always meant trouble, or at the very least something Alex wasn't going to like.</p><p> </p><p>Jack rolled his eyes and then moved surprisingly fast, plonking a Santa hat on Alex's head before he'd even had a chance to react. "Jack!" He huffed, blowing the fluffy white bobble out of his face. Jack just beamed at him, placing a headband with Christmas tree-shaped boppers on his own head. "Come on or we'll be late."</p><p> </p><p>Somehow they managed to get there just in time for the countdown to begin. Jack excitement was palpable as he watched the large tree and all the street lights illuminate around them. The reflections danced in his eyes leaving them gleaming with wonder and looking even more beautiful than they usually were. His warm chocolate iris' looking almost gold. Alex was mesmerised.</p><p> </p><p>Jack turned to him with a large goofy grin and Alex couldn't resist leaning in and kissing him. He felt Jack smile against him as their lips moved together. Alex gave a sigh of content as he leaned his forehead against Jack's just enjoying the pure bliss of the moment.</p><p> </p><p>"I suppose you want to take a cheesy selfie now." He muttered, making Jack snort.<br/>
"You know it."</p><p> </p><p>They posed for a few selfies with the lights in the background before Jack dragged him in the direction of the harbour. "Where are we going?" Alex laughed, silently grateful for Jack's stupid Christmas hat keeping him warm. "The Christmas Village," Jack responded, his tone implying it was obvious.</p><p> </p><p>Alex shook his head a little but smiled, allowing Jack to drag him towards the German market that they set up every year. He should probably keep an eye out for any potential gifts for his family.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Alex smiled as he opened the door to his smiling mother, his phone wedged between his ear and his shoulder as he gave her an awkward hug. </p><p> </p><p><em>Where's Jack? </em>She mouthed at him and he inclined his head towards the back. He'd left him out there with the goats when the jewellers had rung. She nodded and smiled before disappearing off in that direction.</p><p> </p><p>When Alex returned to where his boyfriend and mother were sitting by the fire pit he couldn't help but freeze up, staring in disbelief. The goats were all wearing reindeer antlers and Christmas jumpers.</p><p> </p><p>"Where the hell did you get goat sized Christmas jumpers?" He asked in complete disbelief. He hadn't been on the phone that long!<br/>
"Aren't they great?" Jack beamed at him, stroking Poe who was lounging contently in his lap. "They're reingoats!" Alex didn't know whether to laugh or cry.</p><p> </p><p>"Take them off. This is animal cruelty." Jack rolled his eyes. <br/>
"Don't be so overdramatic! They like them and it'll stop them from getting cold." Alex loved his boyfriend dearly but that didn't stop him from wanting to strangle him sometimes. "They're goats. They spend their lives out in the cold, they're used to it. It's literally the reason they have fur."<br/>
"Well, Instagram likes it so." Of course, Jack had already posted pictures all over the internet.</p><p> </p><p>"You two bicker like an old married couple," Isobel informed them with a chuckle. Jack smiled to himself whilst Alex sent her a thoroughly unimpressed look.</p><p> </p><p>"This is your fault isn't it?" He said, indicating towards his poor fur babies. She laughed.<br/>
"I may have knitted them." Her eyes sparkled as she continued to smile at him knowingly. He gave a heavy sigh, shaking his head and dropping down in his chair.</p><p> </p><p>"Who was on the phone?" Jack asked, eyebrow raised. <br/>
"Wrong number." Jack frowned in confusion. <br/>
"A wrong number who you were on the phone with for twenty minutes?" He asked sceptically. Alex gave a shrug.<br/>
"It was this flustered little old lady. She started telling me her life story and I felt bad just hanging up on her." It was obvious that Jack wasn't buying it but he let it be, shaking his head a little.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>They spent Christmas Eve at The Rockwell. Zack and Rian were in town visiting family so the foursome ended up spending the evening catching up and celebrating the festive season the only way they knew how. By getting completely and utterly wasted.</p><p> </p><p>They stumbled out of the bar a few hours after closing and Alex couldn't deny he was a little grateful. While he was enjoying spending time with his friends he was also pretty horny and kinda just wanted to get Jack home and ravage him. Jack would stay all night until he blacked out if given the chance.</p><p> </p><p>"I love you guys." Alex grinned as he pulled Zack and Rian into a tight hug just in front of their patiently waiting taxi.<br/>
"Love you too man." Rian laughed, patting his back. Jack made a noise that was part amused and part annoyed which made Alex chuckled as he pulled away.</p><p> </p><p>"Don't worry Jacky I love you in a very different way." He said, pulling the younger male into a kiss.<br/>
"Get a room!" Rian laughed, shaking his head.<br/>
"I don't think I will ever get used to that," Zack said, smiling warmly at how happy the pair were. It was surprising just how well they worked considering how long they'd been just friends.</p><p> </p><p>"Merry Christmas guys!" Jack laughed once he'd managed to wriggle free of Alex's grasp. It was obvious to anyone with eyes that there was only one thing on Alex's mind now. "Merry Christmas you hopeless losers."</p><p> </p><p>They stood and watched as the taxi disappeared around the corner before they began walking in the opposite direction, down towards the river. They reached the corner of South Broadway and Thame Street and paused. Alex pulled Jack into another heated kiss under the street name sign. "Really?" Jack mumbled against his lips, Alex really was a dork sometimes. <br/>
<br/>
</p><p>"Jack I love you." He said as he pulled away, eyes determined and his expression serious.<br/>
"I love you too," Jack said, confused by the sudden change in tone. He'd never been much good at serious conversations so this was making him a little nervous.</p><p> </p><p>"I... fuck. I was going to ask you this tomorrow but I don't wanna wait." Jack's eyebrows furrowed in utter confusion as Alex took his hands in his own. "Alex?" He had no idea what was happening right now. </p><p> </p><p>"Jack I love you, and I have never been as happy as I am with you. You've shown me what real love is and I cannot ever picture spending even a second of my life without you in it." Jack just continued to stare at him in confused shock as he slowly and rather inelegantly got down on one knee, almost overbalancing and falling over. "Jack. Marry me?" Jack's alcohol-soaked brain was struggling to process what was happening right now. "I- what?"</p><p> </p><p>Not registering Jack's shock, Alex continued. "I have a ring. I just- it's at home. I hid it under the tree and was gonna be all "Surprise!" tomorrow morning but I couldn't wait."</p><p> </p><p>"You're actually being serious right now aren't you?" Jack said, feeling incredibly slow. Alex nodded vigorously, expression almost comically serious. "You want to get married?" Alex nodded once more. <br/>
"Yes, Jack. I want to be your husband. I want you to be my husband. I want to spend the rest of my life with you by my side, husband and husband and-"<br/>
"Stop saying, husband!"</p><p> </p><p>Alex shut his mouth, still looking at Jack with that overly serious expression and Jack kind of wanted to laugh. This was absurd.</p><p> </p><p>"You're an idiot." He smiled, pulling Alex to his feet. The older male just frowned.<br/>
"Is that a no?" Jack rolled his eyes. <br/>
"You're a drunk idiot." <br/>
"That's still not an answer Jack." Jack rolled his eyes again as Alex pouted at him.<br/>
"How about I give you an answer in the morning <em>if</em> you can even remember this conversation." Alex rolled his eyes and gave a little huff.<br/>
"Fine. Can we at least go home and have sex?" Jack snorted, shaking his head a little. Drunk Alex was a real mystery.<br/>
"Sure."</p><p> </p><p>Alex woke up alone in bed with a killer hangover. He whined in discomfort, burying his face further into the pillow a moment before peeling one eye open. He smiled when he noticed the pain pills and a glass of water sat on the side waiting for him. Jack was too good to him.</p><p> </p><p>He downed the pills and drained the glass, trying to listen for any shuffling about downstairs to indicate what Jack was up but the house was silent. Weird. Given how excited Jack had been for the holiday for the past month he was surprised he hadn't been woken up at the ass crack of the morning like he had a hyperactive child.</p><p> </p><p>Alex was very suddenly slapped in the face by a resurfacing memory from the night before. He proposed. He not only ruined what had been, in Alex's opinion, a pretty romantic plan but he'd very clearly freaked Jack the fuck out. <em>What if he panicked and left?</em></p><p> </p><p>Alex quickly stumbled out of bed, almost falling over as he hastily pulled on his boxers and ran down the stairs. He skidded to a stop at the living room door, his heart racing. </p><p> </p><p>Thankfully Jack hadn't left. He was in fact sitting on the floor by the tree, slightly hunched over as he stared down at something between his legs. Alex couldn't see what but he could give it a pretty good guess. <em>Fuck.</em></p><p> </p><p>"You know, I really thought you were messing with me last night when you said it was under the tree." He didn't look up but Alex took that as his cue to approach him. "Yeah... sorry about that. I shouldn't have sprung all that on you when we were both wasted." He wasn't really sure what else to say, he couldn't exactly apologise for wanting to marry him. </p><p> </p><p>He knelt down next to Jack who was staring down at the ring which sat nestled in the foam compartment in the royal blue box. "It's beautiful." He whispered, still avoiding Alex's gaze.</p><p> </p><p>It was a thin silver band with an intricate knotwork design etched into it and the date they'd met engraved on the inside of the band in roman numerals. He hadn't been able to take it out and see if it fitted, too shocked at the fact Alex wanted this to even touch the damn thing.</p><p> </p><p>Alex swallowed hard, not sure what he was supposed to do. He'd never really let himself imagine a scenario in which Jack had said no but now he almost wished he had, at least then he'd be a little more prepared for whatever the hell was happening right now.</p><p> </p><p>"What are you thinking?" He asked, words barely louder than a whisper as his anxiety spiked viciously.<br/>
"I can't believe you'd want to get married again after the last one was such a disaster," Jack said honestly, still struggling to process his emotions. "Well... in retrospect, that whole relationship was a disaster. This has always been different. Better." He didn't elaborate further, not wanting to freak Jack out by laying too many emotions on him at once.</p><p> </p><p>"I never really imagined myself getting married and settling down," Jack said after a long silence. "Then again, I never saw us getting together so I guess life is full of surprises."</p><p> </p><p>Alex said nothing. He'd always been pretty good at figuring Jack out, they'd always been able to read and understand each other better than anyone else ever had. But as he sat there watching his boyfriend's blank expression he had absolutely no idea what he was going to say next and that terrified him.</p><p> </p><p>"Alex I love you so much." He began, finally meeting his gaze. "But are you sure this is something you really want to do? We don't have to be married to be happy and I know what you're like. Always have to be moving forward, taking the next step."</p><p> </p><p>Alex sighed, gently cupping Jack's cheek. "Jack I love you more than anything, and I know in my heart I always will. I want to marry you because I want to be committed to you in every way possible not because it's the next relationship step. But if you're not ready or you just don't want to do this then please just say so because I would rather spend the rest of my life just being your boyfriend than have you as my husband for a few years and then have you resent me for the rest of our lives." Jack stared at him in shock for a moment. <br/>
"I could never resent you." He'd been hopelessly in love with the older male for half his life despite him being seemingly permanently out of reach. If that didn't scream unconditional love then nothing did. "Then can you please just give me a straight answer and put us both out of our misery."</p><p> </p><p>Jack could see the obvious nerves in Alex's eyes. Despite his no pressure attitude, it would no doubt be a serious blow if Jack were to reject him now. He'd always been the type who wore his heart on his sleeve and now he was offering it to Jack permanently. </p><p> </p><p>Beyond the fear, there was nothing but pure love. The total, complete adoration that came from deep within the soul and was felt in every cell of your being. The love that Jack knew all too well. Why the hell was he even questioning this?</p><p> </p><p>He peeled Alex's hand from his face and placed the small blue box in it. "Come on then." Alex startled, frowning in confusion. <br/>
"What?"<br/>
"Well, you've gotta ask me properly. I'm not accepting that drunken bullshit from last night as a proposal." Clearly, Alex had not been expecting that.</p><p> </p><p>He chuckled in surprise and shifted so that he was on just the one knee. "Jack Bassum Barakat. You are the love of my life, my best friend, my goat's favourite Dad." Jack couldn't help the soft snort that escaped him at that. "I cannot imagine my life without you and my only regret is not figuring all this out a lot sooner. So, will you do me the honour - no, the privilege - of becoming my husband?" </p><p> </p><p>Tears pricked at the corner of Jack's eyes as he nodded, holding out his hand for Alex to place the ring on. For the first time in possibly his entire life, he was genuinely speechless.</p><p> </p><p>The ring fit perfectly, of course, and the second it was in place he was grabbing Alex by the sides of his face and pulling him into a passionate embrace. Alex kissed back just as eagerly, pulling Jack into his lap.</p><p> </p><p>When he pulled back they both had tears streaking their cheeks and were grinning idiotically. "Are you sure?" Alex asked, expression pensive. Jack nodded, gently caressing his cheek with his thumb. "As long as you are." <br/>
"I've never been more sure of something in all my life."</p><p> </p><p>After a moment of awed silence, Alex lay back against the rug, pulling Jack with him. He chuckled softly, sighing with content as he cuddled himself a little closer to his new fiance. </p><p> </p><p>"We should probably open the rest of the presents." He mumbled as Alex yawned.<br/>
"Maybe later. Right now I need a nap." Jack couldn't help but laugh.<br/>
"You've not even been up an hour yet." Jack himself had barely slept and quite liked the idea of taking a nap. He wasn't about to admit that of course. "Sue me. I'm hungover and this morning has been an anxiety-inducing roller coaster. I'm taking a nap." Jack smiled, pressing a kiss to his bare chest. "Sorry about that." Alex just shrugged. <br/>
"'s my own fault. Should have kept my drunk mouth shut." Jack laughed softly, nuzzling into Alex's chest.</p><p> </p><p>They lay in comfortable silence for a while as Jack listened to Alex's heartbeat, his head rising and falling with his lover's breath. "When you're done napping do you wanna have super hot engaged sex?" Alex laughed, the movement jostling Jack a little.<br/>
"I knew there was a reason I was marrying you."</p><p> </p><p>Jack grinned, lifting his head and pecking Alex's lips. "Told you you'd enjoy Christmas with me." He smirked, making Alex smile wryly. <br/>
"Maybe it's not so bad."<b><br/>
</b></p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Merry Christmas ya'll!!!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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